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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Eosin the Red" data-source="post: 1277618" data-attributes="member: 168">Here is todays "Mundane" the basic history and write up of MiddeaThe Kingdom of MiddeaRuler: His Majesty, King of Middea, Heir to the Triple Crown, Sorin IV, Royal Prince of House Ragnerik.Size: Large (25)Age: Old (15)Type: Chivalric Kingdom/Pastoral HomelandGovernment: Independent ‘Bastard’ Feudal monarchy with hereditary ruler. The Assembly, a parliament that is in nearly continuous secession, advises the king and sharply limits his power. Noble families are usually related to the royal family by various degrees.Capital: ChandraMajor Towns: Chandra (65,000), Seacliff (12,000) Starkwall (8,500), Ridderkirk (6,800)Provinces: Eight Duchies: six are hereditary, the remainers are appointed by the king as rewards. One March which is under the Marshall-general of Middea. One governor who oversees the semi-independent government of Erenn. Numerous small Earldoms populate the Duchies. The city of Chandra is considered a district and is self-governing.  Resources: Livestock, wild game, foodstuff, clothes, leather, timber, rare woods, iron, lead, tinAdvantages:    Abundant Resources: Food (5)    Abundant Resources: Wool (5)    Abundant Resources: Wood (5)             Abundant Resources: Leather (5)Exceptional Product: Leather works (5)Metal Rich: Iron, Lead, Tin (10)    Prosperous (10)    Wonder: The Fortress of Nordraak (10)Disadvantages:     Frontier (5)    Internal Strife (10)Coinage: Modified ValaryianPopulation: 720,000 – 99% human (ENRG –see Races) Near-humans: Rare Humanoids: Many in the mountainsLanguages: Ogham, Low Elde, Elde, Shadda, Vintrian*Alignment: NG, LN, N*, NE, CEAllies: Unstable alliances with Erenn, free city of EragonEnemies: Erenn, Vindell Uplands, Lorain Palatinate and NumeriaOverview: The history of Middea is the history of the cape. Middea has been the dominant power since the coming of Sojen. Before Sojen the cape was a collection of small kingdoms owing fealty to the strongest petty king. Borders and kingdoms changed overnight, while raiders and wild beasts were unopposed.Sojen is the legendary king with the Triple Crown. He brought peace and prosperity to the cape by way of the sword. The unusual manner of his death has prompted several legends. While holding court with his famed knights of Sheel, the entire group grew translucent and began to shimmer out of existence, his wife Lady Orianna rushed to his side but was left behind. It is widely believed that Sojen told his wife he would return when the Horn of Olivant was found, for the next day she summoned the knights that remained and charged them with finding the horn.After Sojen’s disappearance in 578 the cape fell into the hands of his capable heir with a peaceful assumption of the throne. The Heirs of Sojen ruled the often-factitious cape for over a century until the coming of the Vintrian Empire in 721. The Middian King Andris soon realized that the mighty empire could not be defeated, but the Duke of Erenn, Marshall General Severn, refused to yield after the treaty of surrender.  This led to a split in the royal line, Duke Severn continued to lead military resistance against the invaders, while his king was forced to take the field with the conquers. Although the Vintrian’s ruled Middea for less than a hundred years, the schism between the line of Duke Erenn and the Ragnerik line of Sojen would spill blood for centuries. After the occupation, Middea attempted to bring the line of Severn back under the crown, but the Dukes heirs had taken to calling themselves kings and refused to submit. Repeated military engagements and rebellions caused King Tamarak IV to negotiate a perpetual state of self-governing vassalage for the independent Lords of Erenn.During the 760’s and 770’s the cape came under increasing attacks by migrating Glacian tribes. The sheer number of the barbarians pressed the Vintrian garrisons nearly to breaking. Unable to destroy the more than 50,000 Glacians, the Imperial commander chose to confine them to the most inhospitable regions of the cape and let nature take its course. Unfortunately for the Governor, the Glacians found their new home much more forgiving than their previous one. Instead of being confined, the Glacians went to work on fortifying the highland passes and ravines, they had found a new home and they meant to protect it. For 400 years the Vindell Uplands have been thriving and growing – and raiding.  The arrival of the Synod of Magnus during the 9th century was initially welcomed by commoner and noble alike. Within the century the Synod became less popular as it started to make financial demands on the nobles, who passed this onto the commoner by way of increased taxes. The increased affiliation between the Synod and the crumbling Vintrian Empire also made many nobles fear being placed under foreign vassalage again. The final insult occurred in what is now called the Archon’s Edict, the Synod made several non-negotiable demands on the crown of Middea: 1) acolytes and archons were to answer to a tribunal of their peers, except in cases involving treason. 2) Lands held by the Synod are considered its sovereign territory and governed by synod law. 3) Any items found having to do with the Scrolls of Ramuz are to be turned over to the Synod. 4) It is against decency and the natural order to study the mysteries of magic without a proper tutor; therefore all mages will be compelled to submit themselves to the synod. Initially King Darig refused, resulting in the closing of all schools, scribes refusing to work, and due to some severe weather that may or may not be attributed to the synod all ports were closed for several weeks. In the end, King Darig gave into most of the demands made by the synod, he did manage to secure some rights for the enchanted line of the Wynlok duchess. Many nobles and commoners considered the crowns capitulation as a sign of weakness. Tavern brawls still frequently erupt when the heated topic of the Archon’s Edict comes up.Before the turn of the century, while not in conflict with a foreign power, Middea was plagued with internal strife. Constant squabbling between the peers (families designated as royal lines) over territory, trading rights, and in one case a sword, has occasionally exploded into armed conflict.The new Millennia brought about other changes. A Middian prince was married to a Numerian princess from Lorain to secure a peace treaty. When the heir to the throne suddenly died elevating the prince to heir apparent, the Middian king recanted and absolved his son’s marriage. When Princess Amidess returned home she was with child, which the Numerian king demanded to be named heir. After a series of diplomatic fiascoes, Lorain declared war on the newly crowned King Taelyn V. Initially the war was more talking than fighting but forty years ago a large army landed near Laurelbay, quickly subduing the duchy and establishing a secure beachhead. To expel the Numerians, King Taelyn created the Eastern March, and appointed the Marshall-General as its Margrave. A series of sporadic engagements occur in the Ravenwood each year, most of these are small skirmishes but each year a few major battles are fought.As the power of the great lords continues to grow from the consolidation of holdings, favored trade agreements, and increased privileges granted by the crown, given in the crowns ever desperate struggle to secure the Ravenwood so to does lawlessness and corruption. The Assembly is often used by the lords to bully the king, and it is not uncommon for a powerful magnate to engineer a vote to go his way.The greatest threat Middea has ever faced occurred in 1059, one of the Celestine, called by men Cinderes, battled one of the great Ennwrathi lords at what is now called Blackford. Cinderes had the assistance of a host dedicated to the preservation of good, while Nydra the Ennwrathi, had summoned foul beasts and demons. The battles ripped the countryside apart, leveling villages and fortifications. In the end, the two armies destroyed each other and routed. The two elder powers are believed to have been destroyed. Current EventsTen years ago the forty-three year old King Sorin Ragnerik divorced his wife. In her place he married a former mistress and commoner, declaring her son Rafn to be the heir apparent. This greatly offended Rhys Mithrandal, lord of the Eastern March who quickly moved to secure his daughter and her children. Relations between the great eastern lord and the king have been soured since.Eight years ago the king opened the School of Peers. All children of age with the young Prince Rafn were encouraged to attend. Due to a hefty endowment from Queen Risha each family that brought their child received a monthly stipend of 100 cp. while the child was in attendance for up to a year. The school teaches the basics in literacy, religion, mathematics, wilderness lore, riding, and swordplay. Prince Rafn attended the school for several years before it was converted to the royal academy. Many young commoners were educated well beyond their means right along side of the nobles. Sadly, the school gained a shadowy reputation before it closed because of the frequent accidents that occurred there. Many folks believe that is why the queen withdrew her endowment. After the closing of the School of Peers several of the magnates came together and with the blessing of the king opened the Royal Academy. The Academy teaches young men of blood the finer arts of warfare and knighthood. Several bards are said to teach the old lore there.During the past decade pirate activity has been on the rise in the Coral Sound and the Numerian Strait, most believe it to be the work of Numerian privateers. In the Palatinate of Lorain, King Nerhuun Ragnerik recently (1073) overcame the Bloodcough. Although, he survived the illness many say it has unhinged his mind. He has redoubled his efforts to take East March, and has outmaneuvered Margrave Mithrandal in three successive battles. The Royal Family    King Sorin Ragnerik (Edessian male)        His Wife the Queen, Risha (Vintrian female)His uncle the Provost of Middea, Taelyn Ragnerik (Edessian male)His brother the Earl of Pembrooke, Gareth Ragnerik (Edessian male)             His brother the Earl of Oldcastle, Orin Ragnerik (Edessian male)His sister the Duchess of Wingate, Tylin Mithrandal (Edessian female)    Prince Rafn Ragnerik heir to the Triple Crown (Vintrian male)    Princess Marina Ragnerik (Vintrian female)    Young Prince Taeylin Ragnerik VI (Vintrian male)</blockquote>

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